Root Crossing, Lakeville Swamp, Michigan
I photograph by myself quite often, many times out completely alone in the middle of nowhere just wandering. It is rare that I get freaked out, even when thinking about if I were to get hurt, fall into a hole, or who knows what. However, such a morning happened earlier this summer while I was exploring a swamp, Lakeville Swamp. This Michigan Nature Association preserve is quite expansive and quite varied in habitat. From thick, dense Cedar trees with knarly roots going everywhere, to more open wetland areas with winding streams and wildflowers.
I found myself wandering a bit deeper in than I usually go. Navigating around can be quite difficult if you are trying to stay at least partially dry. I found some Yellow Iris I photographed for awhile, some stream scenes, somewhat typical stuff. It was when I was making my return trip to my car where I became a bit unsettled. I stopped in this area with these dead roots that were traversing this small stream. It was quite graphically interesting to me, so I started figuring out how I wanted to photograph it. It was the things I stumbled on next that had quite an influence on how I ended up processing this image.
Scientific discovery in process?
When I setup to photograph this scene, I looked down at the ground and saw one of the weirdest things I have ever seen – ever. I am pretty used to not knowing what many things are, having to look them up later. Various plants, fungi, snails, and insect names escape me quite often. But was one of those times where I actually said out loud “What the F— is that??!” (pardon my expletive – but it was THAT weird!) I found a stick, tapped at it a little bit, it didn’t seem to be alive. I then flipped it over. Well, that certainly didn’t make things better because it was even WEIRDER on the bottom! Another WTF murmured to myself. I immediately took out my iPhone and texted a pic to my wife. As you can see, her reaction was similar to mine…
And of course, I had to take some higher res photos of it ….
Something alien in the swamp?
I then started looking around for others like it and about 10 feet away I stumbled upon a dead fawn. It couldn’t have been more than a few days old I was guessing, perhaps even still-born. There were no signs of trauma from a predator, it was just laying there… still as the dead roots nearby and destined to return to nature like the large dead tree that was nearly sheltering it. It was a haunting scene, and I don’t normally photograph such things, but after encountering the “alien spore” just moments before, I felt compelled to at least document it in case it was related at minimum. I couldn’t help but see the relationship between the tree and the fawn. That resulted in this photograph.
Fawn and snag, Lakeville Swamp, MI
At this point, I am thoroughly disturbed and made a prompt (and perhaps wise) decision that I am done exploring this area as thoughts ran through my head of anything from some type of disease happening here to being in an episode of the Twilight Zone.
Well, I took to Facebook when I got home and couldn’t find anything remotely like it in any of my fungi or plant books, and I was determined to find out what the heck I had stumbled upon. After horrifying my friends 🙂 , people started taking guesses ranging from some type of animal byproduct (possible afterbirth from a fawn?) to alien life and I was Patient Zero, probably having gestating spores inside me by now. Internet picture searches were turning up nothing.
My detective of a wife ultimately identified what it most likely is… a Gymnosporangium.(or Cedar-Apple Rust) Given it is a fungal disease found on Cedar trees and I was in a Cedar swamp, it fit the habitat. While it didn’t have the coloration of the pictures we found, the tentacle structure was quite similar, and we concluded it must be a decaying/dead one. And unfortunately, I could not lay claim to discovery of an alien species, and I still live today to tell the tale. But I was right about the thing producing spores from its tentacles (or technically called telial horns).
The events of that morning remain fresh in my mind, and no doubt had some influence how I ended up processing the images of the roots and the fawn…. dark, a bit erie, haunting. Our connections and emotions with a place often bring out the brilliance and thrills of being there that impact our photographs of them. Sometimes those emotions turn in directions we never expected, even if our imaginations get the best of us.
Great read!
I typically don’t worry about my safety when I’m filming here in eastern Iowa as you’re usually within earshot of someone that’s not too air away.
However when I travel out to Montana or Utah and hike in the backcountry, I typically carry a Spot GPS transmitter so that if I getting real trouble I can get help.
The side benefit is that I usually put it in tracking mode so that my friends can see where I’m at at any given moment.
Your experience certainly would have weirded me out as well!
I have often thought about those Spot devices – but since I travel so little, I figured it would be a perk instead of a necessity at least while shooting locally. I can definitely see where it would be nice out in “true wilderness.”
Headed off to read your link about not feeling like it – boy – does that hit me a lot, and I agree you have to force yourself.
I get those Cedar Apple Rusts on our Upright Junipers almost every year, Mark. But they are usually a nice orangish globule with orange tentacles…nothing like that disgusting mass of nastiness you found. Next year I’ll break one open to see how it compares.
Like you, I wander alone most of the time and do worry about having a problem in the woods. Heck, sometimes I fall with my bag on my back and that’s enough to plant me securely on the ground for a while. 🙂 I’ve thought about getting the Spot communication device but probably won’t until I’m stuck in the woods overnight sometime with no idea. It must have been pretty spooky finding the carcass after the apple rust.
That’s interesting Steve. Yeah, the pictures I saw on the net were all the orange kind you describe. This one certainly looks very weird, as if it were burned or dying or perhaps crossed with some alien life. 😉 I would be interested if you do find something even remotely similar.
No that is strange looking and alien does seem to fit. I also have had those moments in nature when I felt small and insignificant with feelings of being in danger. My senses come alive and alert. I hear every noise and the imagination begins to ramp up. At that point I also make the “prompt” exit. Very human but an experience we need.
David mentioned something eluding to that primal instinct of ours. Perhaps it gets triggered when we don’t know quite how to react?
I hike into areas here in Southern Indiana that not many people trudge, my fears have always been of finding a dead body that would be a tough one to deal with, as for your find that would definitely have been a bizarre find to come across as well !!
Being in the Detroit area, I suppose that is always a possibility for me also Bernie. I am glad that has never happened.
This does seem a bit spooky and of course deep in the woods alone the strange hair raising feelings get heightened. Reminds me of why the Blair Witch Project was so successful. One of the buttons we have deep within us is a healthy fear of dark, unknown woods.
Good point David. Finding erie things like these does seem to reinforce that.
Mark, I’ve got no idea what that “thing” is but I’m kinda hoping it’s localized to Michigan and can’t migrate to North Carolina. 🙂
Wonderful tones in that first image…very nice!
If you receive a package from Michigan – you may want to just return it to the post office then. 😉 Thanks Earl.
Every once in a while something weird like this pops up and it makes me realize how little I know about my environment. Makes for great photos though, and some thought provoking discussions.
I seem to be reminded of that quite often Ken, and this case especially.
A very enjoyable read, Mark with interesting photos. The “alien” really looks eerie. I very much like the dark processing of the first image – it is a great one!
cheers – Sandra
Thanks for the feedback Sandra.